Middleweight Chris Leben
believes hindsight is 20/20, and nine months after a forced hiatus from his
beloved sport, he’s ready to apply personal and professional changes to his
fight with Jake Rosholt.

Last November, the UFC flagged
Leben for steroid use following a decision loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 89,
adding another lengthy delay to fighting after a DUI offense landed him 35 days
in an Oregon jail.

Since the suspension, Leben has
opened up his own MMA school in Hawaii, Ultimate Fight School, and says
training has filled a void in personal fulfillment.

He also says it’s a relief to
face Rosholt, a fighter who’s aggression matches his own.

“I know Rosholt’s going to come
straight at me,” he said. “I’m in my home town, and the last thing I want to do
is have a fight like my last fight. I want the fans to get what they paid for.”

Leben thinks it unlikely,
though, that Rosholt will be aggressive where he is—on the feet.

“Jake’s going to try to take me
down, he’s going to try to put me on my back, and he’s going to try to ground
and pound,” said Leben. “I know what he’s going to try to do. We all know what
I’m going to try to do, and that’s knock him out. That’s your fight.”